Ilie Cioara
The “void” or “psychological emptiness” is a strange phenomenon, which appears spontaneously in the pause between two thoughts. First, the old thought ends its course and disappears. At its end lies the gate, where natural silence ensues.
Persistently try to identify with this “emptiness” and dwell in it for as long as possible, by becoming one with it. In this circumstance, the mind is completely silent. In a state of Attention, we are pure Consciousness. When we have no motivations or meanings, there are no limits. The Infinite and us are melting into “One”. In this state we have a new, fresh mind, which has no connection to the old mind.
In this state of “emptiness” or “psychological void” we notice that the whole being is perfectly calm and united with the Endless – manifesting itself as a spontaneous flash. Living in a real way outside time and space, we are constant Eternity, moving in direct contact with the movement of Life, in a perpetual present. By simply “being”, we attain “wholeness”; we have a pure Energy, without motivations.
The real encounter with Life can only happen in this perpetual “now”. When the old man disappears, we acquire the capacity to embrace the new, brought forth by the movement of Aliveness.
Life’s beauty disappears instantaneously the moment another thought, as a reaction of the mind, invades this present and muddles its meaning. In this case, allow the intruder to follow its course. Do not oppose any resistance.
We are just a luminous dot – a simple witness on the screen of consciousness – in stillness, we just watch what is happening, without any purpose, goal or ideal. When we encounter the intruder-thought in this manner, it disappears spontaneously, leaving the path open for the next moment.
The real meaning of Life is revealed to us only in the context of this “emptiness”, as a boundary line between the two dimensions. On the one side lies the limited world, where the personal “ego” is the master, on the other lies the Infinite, where Love and Beauty create a climate of boundless Happiness.
Similarly, this “emptiness” separates Light from the darkness. The chaos we frequently encounter within the limited mind, caused by disputes, contradictions and conflicting states, is replaced by a perfectly harmonious being, manifesting itself as Joy and unlimited Happiness. Only in this circumstance, egocentrism disappears by simply becoming conscious of it.
This “psychological nothingness” makes us honest and humane. It radically changes our whole being, without efforts, desires or imaginary states. It represents the abyss, the tomb, where all the fragmented energies of the egoistic, obsessive and possessive structure disappear irreversibly.
Therefore, let us use it as starting point in each of our spiritual investigations. When “emptiness” is missing, any attempt of psychological progress can only result in deceitful imaginary states.
Let us remember that this attentive and lucid passiveness of the mind gives us the opportunity to encounter true Love and to identify with Divinity.
Each meeting with this “psychological Nothingness” is a true hammer blow to the structure of the “ego”, whose author and prisoner we are. Depending on the frequency of these blows, we will, one day, experience the phenomenon of Liberation.
This fortunate event appears as a complete surprise. It cannot be desired, imagined, nor expected as a result or merit of a psychosomatic activity pursuing a goal or an ideal.
Excerpted from ‘The Silence of the Mind’. Ilie Cioara was an [almost unknown] Romanian mystic who lived much of his life under Soviet occupation. He taught quietly until his death in 2004 (aged 88), and authored 16 books.
